Flat knitting machine



June 18, 1940. J K, spm 2,204,629

- FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1937 .3 SheetsSheet 1 Wnass June 18, 1940. I L R 2,204,629

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 P 52 9 I 62 i 8 6'0 I g G 64 g 46 66- 59 W 2 'I'IIIIIIIIIIIIA June 18, 1940. p SHNDLER 2,204,629

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 10; 1957 s Sheets-Sheet s mum:

Witness Patented June 18, 1940 PATENT ori ice FLAT KNITTING MACHINE UNITED STATES Kurt P. Spindler, Reading,

Pa., assignor to Karl Lieberknecht, Ina, Reading, Pa... a'corporation of Pennsylvania The present invention relates to fiat knitting machines and more particularlyto carriers and stops therefor.

The usual selvage or end stops for controlling the traverse of the carriers in plain fabric knitting are automaticallycontrolled by the well known spindle mechanism. For certain operations in the manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery it is necessary to provide carrier stops which are intermediate to the .end stops, for the purpose of controlling the knitting of reenforcing yarns. The inner stops have usually been operated manually.

The principalpobject of the present invention is to provide a simple fully automatic construction for limiting and controlling the traverse of inner selvage and reenforcing yarn carriers. To

this end the present invention comprises the machine hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims.

Inthe accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, of the present invention applied to a multiple carrier knitting machine; Fig. 2 a sectional elevation showing a section on line 2-4! of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the stop pins and bracket therefor;

and Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are detail views illustrating the pattern mechanism.

The machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises nine carrier rods II to Hi mounted for reciprocation in a bracket 20. Each carrier rod is connected with a carrier tube designated generally at 22. Only the carrier rods l3, l5, l6, l1 and I8 are arranged to be stopped inside theedges of the fabric, the remainder being adapted for full traverse between end stops. The usual end stops for the several rods are not shown in the drawings.

The carrier rods 45 and H, arranged to apply reinforcing yarn to the right-hand side of the fabric, are provided with inner stoplugs or abutments 2d, and the rods l6 and I8 which are ar ranged to apply reenforcing yarn to the left-hand side of the fabric are provided with similar stop lugs as shown in Fig. 3. Each stop lug 24 comprises a screw 26 threaded into plate 28 attached to the corresponding carrier rod, the screw being maintained in adjusted position by a lock nut 30. stops at both ends of the traverse as in block toe reenforcement and one of the stop lugs therefor, designated at 32, is similar to the stop lugs 24 for the other carrier rods, while a second stop lug The carrier rod i3 is arranged for inside 34 is also provided which is of different construction as will hereinafter be described.

Cooperating with the stop lugs for each of the five carrier rods is a series of automatically operated. stop pins of which four, designated at 36, 5 38, so and 52, are arranged to coact respectively with the stop lugs 2A of the carrier rods l5, l6, 5'! and I8, while the fifth stop pin 44 is of different construction for coaction with the stop lugs 32 and 34 of the rod l3.

All of the stop pins are mounted in'a bracket it having an arm 48 suitably secured to the machine frame. The stop pin 33 which is of the same construction. as the pins 35, 4i) and M is shown in detail in i and comprises a plunger 1 5 movable in a cylindrical opening in the bracket stand formed at the. bottom with flat sides M which cooperate with a square key 513 to prevent rotation of the pin. The pin is normally retained in its upper or inactive position as shown in Fig. 4; by a spring 52. The pin is provided with a head iii and is adapted to be depressed into stop position by means of a lever 58 pivoted on a fixed shaft 58. Upon actuation of the lever 56 the pin is moved into the path. of the stop lug on the cor- 2 responding carrier rod. 7 The special pin M which coacts with both inper salvage stop lugs for the carrier rod i3, is formed to permit initialtraverse of the rod It to such position that the stop pin may assume a 39 position between the stop lugs 32 and 34 of the carrier rod. To this end the pin M is made hollow as shown in Fig. i to receive an internal plunger 5% having a head BIS bearing against a cap 52 threaded on the in it. An internal spring E4 bears between the collar 6i! and a shoulder 66 formed internally of the pin 14. An external spring 68 similarto'the springs 52 for the other stop pins surrounds the pin M and bears between the upper surface of the bracket and the under 40 surface of the cap 62. An actuating lever ill similar to the lever 56 bears against a head on the top of the plunger 59. The internal spring 64 is stronger than the external spring t8 so that the stop pin may, under the influence of the lever ll), be depressed into the position shown in Fig. 4. The stop lug 34 as shown in Fig. 4 is formed with an inclined surface 12. It will be seen that after the lever l0 is depressed, the bottom of the stop pin M will ride on the incline I2 of the stop lug on the first left-to-right traverse of the carrier rod l3. During such action, the

internal spring 64 yields, thus permitting the pin it to rise (as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 4) While the plunger remains depressed by the lever l8. Thereafter the pin 44 drops into the space between the stop lugs 32 and 34 to determine the short traverse of the carrier rod in accordance with the positions of the stop lugs.

The levers 56 and "I0 for the stop pins are automatically operated by cams indicated at 14. As shown in Fig. 3, two cam drums I6 and 18 are provided, the former having three grooves to permit application of cam segments 80 and the latter having two grooves for the application of similar segments. Thus five cams are provided, one for each of the actuating levers. As shown in Fig. 1 each lever is provided with a projection 52, acting as a cam follower, whereby upon actuation thereof by the proper cam segment, the corresponding stop pin is depressed into operative position. 0

The cams 74 are mounted on a shaft 90, the rotation of which is automatically controlled in any suitable manner, preferably from the pattern mechanism of the machine. The connections by which the pattern mechanism is effective to operate the shaft 00 are similar to those described in the co-pending application of Lieberknecht, Ser. No. 141,005, filed May 6, 1937, but will be briefly described here. The pattern mechanism comprises a chain 92 having a series of buttons 94 which are arranged to engage intermittently with a bell crank lever 96, the latter being connected by a rod 98 with a second bell crank lever I00.

' The lever I00 has a yielding connection I02 with a bell crank I04 adapted to be rotated clockwise when the bell crank 96 is actuated by a button 04 on the pattern chain. Rotation of the bell crank I04 moves a rod I06 to the right. The rod carries a fork I08 engaging a collar IIO on a stud I I 2, the latter having a'cam roll I I4, adapted to be brought into the path of a cam II6 on the main cam shaft II8 of the machine. The stud H2 is mounted at the end of the lever I20, pivoted on a bracket I22 and connected at the other end by a link I24 with a pawl I26 which is arranged to advance a ratchet I28 on the shaft 90. Each actuation of the bell crank 96 by a button on the pattern chain therefore results through the connections above described in the advance of the ratchet I28 by one tooth. The cam segments 80 are suitably attached to the cam drums at such points as to cause actuation of the levers V 56 and I0 at the proper times when the inner selvage stops for the carrier rods are to be determined.

The operation of the stop pins will be readily understood from the foregoing description. For the pins 30, 38, and 42 the cams are operated at appropriate times to depress the stops pins during the first traverse of the respective carriers. These stops are the inner stops determining the selvage reenforcement of the fabric. It will be understood that each of the carriers I 5, I6, I! and I8 also acts against a suitable end stop which is not shown in the drawings. The carrier I3 which is for block toe reenforcement, operates between two internal limiting positions, and it is for this carrier that the special pin 44 is provided. Prior to the initial travers of the carrier, the pin is yieldingly depressed int the path of the inclined lifting surface I2. 0 the first traverse, the pin rideson the lifti surface and drops into space between the sto lugs as shown in Fig. 4. During block toe re enforcement, the stroke of the carrier is deter mined by the setting of the lugs 32 and 34. Upoi completion of the block toe reenforcement, tht lever 10 is raised through the automatic opera tion of the pattern control and the pin rises on of the path of the stop lugs.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular arrangement shown and described, but may be modified I except as limited by the appended claims. I

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In a flat knitting machine, a carrier rod, a stop pin, actuating means to move the pin into operative relation with the carrier rod, said means acting on the pin in advance of the time required for coaotion thereof with the carrier rod, an abutment'on the carrier rod, and means associated with the carrier rod for lifting the prematurely activated stop pin over the abutment.

2. In a flat knitting machine, a carrier rod having a stop lug, a stop pin movable toward and from the carrier rod, actuating means for yieldingly setting the. stop pin in operative position with relation to the carrier rod, and means forming anv inclined surface on the carrier rod to lift the pin over the lug on the first'traverse of the carrier rod after setting of the pin.

3. In a flat knitting machine, a carrier rod, a movable stop, abutments on the carrier rod, actuating means to move the stop into operative position in advance of the time it is required.

and means for relatively moving said stop and abutments whereby subsequent movement of the rod causes the stop to become effective to stop the traverse of the carrier in each direction.

5. In a fiat knitting machine, a carrier rod, a stoppin, actuating means to move the pin into operative relation with the carrier rod, said means acting on the pin in advance of the time required for co-action thereof with the carrier rod, an abutment on the carrier rod, and means associated with the carrier rod for moving the prematurely activated stop pin to permit tht abutment to pass into operating position.

5. In a flat knitting machine, a carrier rod having a stop lug, a stop pin movable toward and away from thecarrier rod, actuating means for yieldingly setting the stop pin in operative position with relation to the carrier rod in advance of the time required for co-action thereof with the carrier rod, and means associated with the carrier rodincluding cam and follower surfaces formed on the pin and carrier rod operative to move the pin into operating position with relation to the stop lug on the first traverse of the carrier rod after setting of the pin.

KURT P. SPINDLER. 

